


A Friendship Between A Middle-aged Man and His Kid

by marin27



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Birthday, Birthday Presents, Fluff, Gen, Peter Needs a Hug, Peter Parker Feels, Peter Parker Gets a Hug, Sweet Peter Parker, Tony Feels, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Has Self-Esteem Issues, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-17
Updated: 2019-05-17
Packaged: 2020-03-06 18:18:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18856465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marin27/pseuds/marin27
Summary: Peter surprises Tony with gifts for his birthday and Tony cries.Tony realises his family is bigger than he thought.





	A Friendship Between A Middle-aged Man and His Kid

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lizzie1495](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lizzie1495/gifts).



> Yaaay I was really looking forward to posting this one! I wanna give all credit for this idea to KimidollSan!! They left a comment on another one of my fics with so many ideas on writing these two!! I'm so glad for all the ideas given to me❤️❤️😊
> 
> I made this into an Iron Dad and Spider son fic if you don't mind!!

Tony doesn’t even know why he gave in to the compulsion to throw a party for his birthday. He’s already regretting this, his hand coming up to wipe the sweat on his forehead. Usually he blends in with the crowd, mingling with guests like second nature. But Tony supposes it’s because he hasn’t had an event like this in quite a while. Maybe for good reason. The last two parties had a psychotic robot coming to life and him blowing his house up with his best friend. He grimaces. Not the best times in his life, he would say.

Tony can feel his stomach twist into knots, his fake smile never reaching his eyes as he babbles like the normal ‘Tony Stark’ everyone knows, but when he puts down his flute of champagne, he sees his hand shaking. Tony straightens up, shoving his itching anxiety in his chest away, and walks into another group, intruding their conversation as if he belonged there.

A couple more chats here and there—all fake smiles and false comradery—and Tony is already sick of this. _Jesus, how did I ever do this before?_

He checks his watch and almost curses. It’s only been twenty minutes.

Just when he thinks of pulling another stunt—maybe spilling wine over one the models here, that’d get front page of the online magazines—because of his nearly painful boredom and pulsing anxiety, Friday chimes in his ear. “Mr. Parker is in the lab.”

His brows raise. Doesn’t the kid have a chemistry test to study for? He tilts his head to his shoulder, lips barely moving, “Did he say why? I thought the underoos’ busy tonight.”

Friday pauses, possibly waiting for Peter’s response. Tony glances around, and catches sight of Pepper and Rhodey laughing at something one of Pepper’s business associates. He smiles to himself.

“Mr. Parker says that he just wants to see you. He does urge that it’s important.”

Tony’s brows furrow, feeling worry sweep over him and he starts to move towards the private elevator that sends him straight to the lab. “Is there something wrong with Peter? Is he hurt? What did he do?”

He doesn’t get a response back, which doesn’t help ease the concern blooming in his chest. He excuses the people who try to intercept his way to Peter, not even sparing them a glance. He urges Friday to move quicker.

  
He enters the lab, the usual florescent lights now a soft yellow glow. He scans the room and finds Peter sitting at the table, his back to him, hunched over. Tony breathes not, not seeing any injuries or any life threatening villains in the lab that would hurt Peter.

“What are you doing here? Thought you had a test tomorrow.”

Peter spins in his chair, a bright grin on this face that takes Tony aback. “It’s alright. I know most of the content anyway.”

Tony walks over, standing next to Peter and leaning his elbow on the table. He cocks a brow, as if saying ‘So?’

Peter ducks his head and nearly mumbles, “I-I wanted to see you.”

Peter looks up at Tony’s face, which is full of surprise at first, before it softens and his lips break into a grin. He waves a hand, all nonchalant—as if that small confession didn’t make Tony’s heart explode with affection. “You’re free to visit anytime, kid.”

“But aren’t you busy?” Peter knows Tony is always working himself to the bone. Always working on his own projects—right now being the nanotech suits—and Peter is timid about stepping into his zone.

“Peter, look, I honestly don’t mind you being around. You’re a great help and even better company, kid. So don’t worry about it.” Tony places a hand on Peter’s shoulder and his eyes flicker to the side. He stops and does a double take. A slightly astounded look takes over his features as he processes what’s before him. He glances back at Peter, whose face is red and sheepish smile is wider.

Tony feels a flicker of tenderness as he stares at the homemade cupcake—decorated with a frosted Iron Man mask and golden edible glitter, all messy but showing every bit of effort from Peter—the beige card that has a long message written in blue, the bracelet that Tony notices has a small Spider-Man keychain threaded with a red and blue braid.

Tony looks between Peter and the things on the table—puzzlement written all of his face. He takes off his glasses, and keeps staring the gifts. For a genius, he really can’t figure out what is going on before him.

“What’s—What is all this?”

“It’s for you, Mr. Stark!” Peter beams, sitting up in his chair. Tony reaches out with a shaky hand to take the bracelet. “Is—Is this a friendship bracelet?”

Peter flushes under his scrutiny and swallows his saliva. “Uh yeah. I made one for Ned and he gave me the idea to make one for you. And well, since it’s your birthday I thought it’d be the perfect opportunity. So… happy birthday!” Peter says weakly, throwing his hands open in a vague gesture as if saying ‘Surprise!’.

"I have a matching one too!" Peter stretches out his arm to show the braided red yellow one, with a tiny Iron Man faceplate key chain. 

When Tony doesn’t do anything but stare at the piece of jewellery in his hands, Peter starts feeling nervous. “Mr Stark, you don’t—you don’t have to wear it if you don’t want—”

“No, no I’m wearing this.” Tony flashes him a shaky grin, his voice wavering. He offers his wrist to the teenager so he can properly tie it. Peter looks at him, but swallows his surprise and knots the braid around the man’s wrist, right above the Patek Phillips watch he is wearing.

Once done, Tony pulls away to study his arm, a big grin he can’t help forming on his face, his eyes glistening with emotion. “Thanks, kid. I appreciate it.”

Peter preens and Tony is glad he can’t find it within himself to tease Peter for doing this for him, cause he knows the teenager would be crushed if he so much as told him he’d wear it another time.

Tony looks back to the table and points to the card. “That for me?”

Peter turns around and nods, grabbing the card and placing it into Tony’s awaiting hands. They both can’t help but feel a little nervous—Peter for not knowing how his mentor would react to him spilling his emotions over the page—and Tony for anticipating what the kid thinks of him. To ease the worried look on Peter’s face, Tony winks.

_Hey Mr Stark!_

_First things first, happy birthday! I don’t know if I’ll be man enough to give it to you on your birthday but here we are. I’ll try to keep this short but I doubt I can, I mean you once called me an ‘adorable chatterbox’ and honestly, I don’t know what to feel about that. Flattered? Insulted? Anyways, that’s not the point._

_I first just want to say how grateful I am to have you in my life, Mr Stark. For the past two years you’ve taken care of me, sheltered me (if we count those sleepovers in the labs), fed me (thank god to you being a billionaire otherwise you’d have a starving kid with an insane metabolism on your hands), and protected me from all things, including myself._

_I don’t know how my life would be like without you in it, cause you’ve become such a big factor into how I have grown over the last two years as a teenager. I can’t imagine anyone else taking your place in my life. (Don’t let that get to your head, though) I am incredibly thankful to have such a ~~great~~ amazing role model who always looks out for others to mentor me, and Spider-man as well._

_And there’s no downside to this, our relationship. Except one thing. One thing that I’m still annoyed about, that you do._

Tony’s eyes flicker up to Peter, feeling his heart sink a little bit.

_How you never see yourself the way I see you. Mr Stark, you never ever see the incredible person you are. The heroic, selfless, self-sacrificing idiot, self-made, fantastically real, successful, generous genius that you really are. A genius with a big brain (which for how smart you are, becomes really dumb when you claim that you’re narcissistic) and an even bigger heart. A heart so big, everyone who loves you hates it when you give so much to people who don’t deserve it. You care so much—even without trying, even when you don’t want to—you care about the people in your life. No one else in the entire world would come up with 576 different webshooter combinations but you. I can’t even think of five! You gave Harley a chance to live out his life, with his entire education planned out and paid for in advance. You gave Ms Potts your company when you were dying because there was no one else in your life you trust more. And you exploded all your suits for her! You fixed Colonel Rhodes’ legs just out of sheer guilt, and you broke records for figuring out how to improve prosthetics! As corny as it is, I have to say, with full honesty, that you sir deserve the world but the world doesn’t deserve you._

_I hope that someday, you’ll see the man that we (Me, Colonel Rhodes, Ms Potts, Vision, Harley, DUM-E, Friday, hell even Ned) see you as. Because you may be Iron Man with the gold armour, but to us, you’re Tony Stark with a heart of gold. And that’s more than all of us deserve._

_With birthday wishes,_  
_Peter Parker aka Spider-Man_

Tony feels warm wetness on his cheeks when he’s finished. He looks up to Peter, with a new light in his eyes. He doesn’t try to stop himself when he moves in quick for a hug. Peter is surprised, sure, because the last time they had this much contact it was that awkward ‘We’re not there yet’ but despite the buzzing anxiety over Tony’s reaction, he quickly relaxes, his hand patting Tony on the back as he feels the man tighten his arms around him. He feels warm, like a fuzzy blanket wrapped around him on a winter’s evening and Peter melts into his embrace.

The teen can feel tears soaking his shoulder but he doesn’t say a word, preferring to just bask in this long awaited hug. “This is really nice.” He mumbles into the man’s shoulder, his own arms wrapping securely around Tony.

Tony has so many emotions raging inside of him, the most prominent one being the love and care he has for this kid in his arms. And it almost hurts how much he adores the kid, how he wants to protect him for the rest of his life, how proud he is of Peter for going this far, how much he’s willing to bet he’d rip the universe in half if Peter was in any danger. _Is this how dads feel like?_

Peter doesn’t let go until Tony starts to pull away, watching Tony discreetly wipes away the tears. “Jesus… I—no one has ever written anything like this for me, Peter.”

Tony just stares at Peter, affection mingling with something else in his eyes. Peter, as bashful as the kid feels, just nods, “Well, it’s all true. And–and I wanted you to know all of that.”

Tony smiles, the look on his face gentle and serene. He bites his lip and does the shoulder punch thing, gently rocking Peter before pulling him into another quick hug once more.

Tony feels so lucky to have this kid in his life, and for once, he feels like the universe gave him this one thing, this one thing to make life a little better, a little brighter. And he’s not going to take it for granted, heavens knows he’s done enough of that with everyone he loves. He shuts his eyes tight and mumble in Peter’s shoulder.

“I don’t think I’ll ever find someone else like you, kid. I’m happy you’re here.”

Peter can feel warmth bloom in his chest, pulling away to look at Tony in his eyes. Once Tony pulls away, he starts to tug Peter to the elevator. “There’s a party going on upstairs. Don’t wanna leave you here alone with DUM-E and Friday to entertain you.”

Peter laughs, and keeps silent about the how he knows Tony just wants him to be there—and he knows that because of the way he holds his hand and the flicker within his eyes. Peter—the kid who has a pile of homework and would rather be anywhere else but an adult party—takes one look at Tony, and realises he’d be anywhere where this man is.

Once at the party, Tony is ecstatic to watch Peter rile up all the people who feel entitled to be at the party—snarking them with that Parker sass and dishing out underhanded insults—and always finds himself laughing whenever Peter does something so uniquely him, Tony can’t find it within himself to stop the kid. He feels completely at ease, a stark contrast to the vibrating anxiousness he felt earlier. His chest doesn’t twist with dread, instead it fills up with something he can’t identify whenever he looks at the kid. His stomach doesn’t tug with nausea, but instead is cramping with how he was trying to hide laughter at Peter’s insults.

He catches Pepper’s kind smile and Rhodey’s fond shake of the head, and raises his glass to them from across the room with a beaming grin of his own; sending one clear message across.

_Tony is happy._

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed it!!! Please comment and tell me what you think😊


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